A numerical study of smoke concentration distribution near low-intensity fires: Sensitivity to vertical canopy structure and fire heat source strength

Abstract

Abstract Broadly speaking, prediction of the negative impacts of prescribed fire on air quality is limited by gaps in our understanding of the underlying fire, fuels, and atmospheric processes. These knowledge gaps hinder our ability to accurately predict smoke concentration distributions, leading to unintended smoke intrusions into nearby communities and subsequent threats to public health and safety. In this study, numerical simulations are performed using a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (FLEXPART-WRF), with particle motion driven by output from a full-physics atmospheric model with a forest canopy sub-model and 10-m horizontal grid spacing (ARPS-CANOPY), to address two research questions. First, what is the relationship between near-fire (within ~50–150 m of fire) smoke concentration distribution and (i) vertical canopy structure, (ii) fire heat source strength? Second, what roles do mean transport (i.e., transport by the mean wind) and turbulent diffusion play in shaping the near-fire smoke concentration distribution? To address these questions, simulations are run with 25 combinations of plant area density profile and fire sensible heat flux magnitude, and smoke is represented by particles with diameters ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5). Results show that near-fire PM2.5 concentration distribution is primarily controlled by vertical canopy structure, with fire heat source strength primarily controlling the PM2.5 concentration magnitude. Analysis of the underlying ARPS-CANOPY variables driving FLEXPART-WRF particle dispersion helps elucidate the roles of mean transport and turbulent diffusion. In total, the study findings suggest that the vertical distribution of canopy vegetation and fire heat source strength are important factors influencing PM2.5 dispersion and concentration distribution near low-intensity fires.